Hydrogen is considered by many to be a promising energy alternative to carbon-based fuels. Hydrogen is particularly attractive as a fuel because of the lack of resultant production of polluting substances such as unburned hydrocarbons including greenhouse gases such as carbon oxides, sulfur oxides, and nitrogen oxides that are typically associated with the combustion of various petroleum based/derived fuels. In addition to energy conveyance, hydrogen gas has numerous industrial uses such as, for example, in the production of electronics, desulphurization of fuels, production of ammonia, and upgrading of petroleum sources.
Various technologies and methods are known for the production of hydrogen. While hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, it is rarely found in its natural form, but rather is found in compounds such as: hydrocarbons, carbohydrates, fuels, and water. To separate hydrogen from these compounds as hydrogen fuels is not only complicated and tedious, but is also very expensive. The most common methods of producing hydrogen are: electrolysis, gasification of hydrocarbons, enzymatic activities, reaction of certain metals or metallic compounds with water, and extraction from fossil fuels such as natural gas or methanol. These methods, however, either directly produce pollutants or require large quantities of energy wherein the production of energy produces pollutants.
While the advantages of using a fuel such as hydrogen to replace fossil fuels as a primary energy source are many, no single approach has emerged that will provide a convenient means whereby hydrogen can be economically produced in a form, whether gaseous or liquefied, which makes it useful in the applications noted above.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a method and system of generating hydrogen which are efficient in terms of both energy utilized and reactants consumed. Still further, there exists a need for such a method and composition that are environmentally benign and do not produce undesirable waste or byproducts.